Blasting room



April 20, 1948.

W. L. KEEFER BLASTING ROOM Filed Marpfi 2, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 w. L. KEEEER April 20, 1948.

BLAST'ING ROOM Filed Mar'ch 2, 1946 s Sheets-Sheet 2 w. L. KE EFER BLASTING ROOM April 20, 1948.

Filed March 2, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 44 T's/Pl KEEPER,

Patented Apr. 20, 1948 BLASTING Room W lieg- L-... r;. Ha erstenm, Md s ienqr e;

i 1!. v mm nen Mer e- AppIicationMarch Q, 1946; Seritl No.- 6515141 ew s) Inithei-latter case, the directionotpmjection of each jetgunrelative tonitsmounting; has..been

variable, t and; it has. been customary to. provide twmjetsguns, oneito projectethe stream; generally horizontallyetoward the work; amt: another lo: cated: at .al higher, elevation-.te. project a. stream generallydownwardly towards: the; work. 'I3he provision of two -guns at; different levels has .re-

quilted i the inclusion on two-operating: stations at different levels: with, their respectiveplatforms, stairways, piping, valves; etc., with. accompanying disadvantages, hutiihhasl not; heretofore been possible to eliminate theeduplicationoilelements and; duplication of personnel, or loss; ore-time: of personnel inmoizing from .one stationtathe other. In addition, itihaswbeemfound difiicult; in some work- 1170 mampulateaeithenoi the:blast-.guns=soas toeobtain fully; effective action in the removal: of the cores. from special: and unusual: casting shapes, 7

An important object of the present invention is :to provide improved app zlatusof; this :character; in which; the flexibility: ofrthe: gun: and: its adaptahilityvto thecleaning: ofivariousshapes of work is. greatly increased.

Another object is to provide an; improved apparatus; of'rthe character described in which the requirement for duplication of stations. and equipment associated therewith is eliminated.

Another-- object of the invention is to provide m dapear i s o is heraqter. s meetp P QrIc th Qrk me e ezn ti sln axis, wi h a nimum" of.v 9s in itatqr F rth r, q iec s and. ad ant ge t th i velk tion wi le pean rom he follow eta led description of a preferredembodiment; thereof,

- r side the. ,nrovisiqn c1? p v d matures and arran nentoi nan i e tr n in i "the rea ize: i n tthe a o esaiecbie ts- Inr illeacc nm nying drawinsetll sireti eci ,r f rred.. m qdimcnt th inv nt on-n:

plan \wienpar l rcet; a: en induntin section one core-. snopls utenclosure.

iE 'gil 3-: isianielevat aken; item; the plane, 3min 0t: .o ;ne= n. the direqtien oi: the.- arrows,

e; s;anenlereeditraem ntaryn ect qntaken Qn line. ;4i'w4rof? l 2 in the irection; n Hea ed byithe arrows;

3h.1ihex illustrative,- crnbes iment; trewn; the

drawings. the blast-rm inewm 551 an.- eli enre l'minavinelthe usualaentrame ops s I 11 i etheiusua-limqmpitt flbizfildifilldiQQ be ew hein rr manflocnlenel lllceandzsu ta lea cesso es. n91: shownli fnntransportine' he was nto; and from the ro m; ands cn upporting-them, 111.129: sitionttohelworkedallmm herfi ni In accordance with the present inventign a sectioniofr thewell: i. the nclosure to;

placed: byi a: vertically slidalgle. wall; se tions. 1.1;,

which; carrie ,a:.blast'-,gunr t; this secti nzpr r: ably; beinearrangedtdi ecna lie in: one @or er of th8.:IOQ1'I,1 Q conserve-spa e: and; .na e ilabial-Si: sun; to discharge a ainst; a; w de rang f: th workzwithaifavorable aneleqi attack-1 Initheaform shown; he sliclable W ll sectio comnnses theinner;facezciian operatgrf 've 1116 on cubicle; herein shewniasarectan ular: timer formed ofiside walls. .I set udiag'onallyinihe cor.-

ner of room [0, closed on the room sideebysthe v slidinge W131i? I J5; .openi oniitshouter side; qIl'dgQYE lying a part} crime-room "pit lb; th whole bein deep enou 'hmo house the onerators. platform. and control equipment; hereinaitex. described;

Tlieablasteenn: I2; (Rise 1 and 2:) may beinf anwconyentionalr r spec al? desi n, That; chesen to illustratethezinn nticn is: at; the. eneray e to. which Keeien Pat, t: 236%:765. fEcbmarr 82 19411} relate bn islmo lifi clyto enable the structure; taibe-t car ri in-th v rtic lly? s idable wall; Ill-=1, To this endethe .blas nczzle I2: is PIG-r vided: with; a directlis connected sand-hose?" l g thnoueh whicn; arbnadant issupnli d; ands-withaa universally mounted: balanced: hi h,.-.pr ure; fluid;conduit:v herein comprisin a dou le lbow i5 haiiing itsilowen vertical end; flanged; and turnable ina;.packing ring Ifi=;,and-havingit pncrr onncsesl: nonmetal: ends. e iv r n r a churnin i aahlei. the: t cal irectie Sui able e ;.a .e l tv s em l yed, to mp ttlmjrme inhe l-idah ewall. Ill, nd he nerieei I 11i i ce el dw w ni ht-Pr emi hose connection I9.

some cases more extended positions.

a, control rod 2i extending through a flexible boot 22, which is carried by and covers an aperture in the sliding wall II.

By manipulation of control rod 2I the gun as sembly may be rotated in the ring I6, and the coupling I1 and gun I2 tilted up and down in the assembly with sufficient angularity to direct, the blast-jet toward the part of the work desired.

To enable observation of the direction andeffect of the blast by the operator on the platform 26 (hereinafter described), a suitable window 23 is provided (Figs. 2 and 3, omitted in Fig. 1 for clarity). This window may take any desired form and be kept clean and protected from abrasive particles in any desired manner. In the form shown, the window 23 is mounted in' an inclined position by a frame 24 covering an opening in the sliding wall I I, and is provided'with a wash-down means in the form of a water-pipe 25 arranged adjacent its top edge and slotted or perforated to discharge a cleaning liquid against the room side of the window pane. The window 23 may also be provided with a safety screen (not shown) interposable between it and the flying particles of abrasive, core, etc., when this is desirable, and with means controllable by the operator for swinging the screen into and out of position.

As will be seen from Fig. 2, the conduits I4 and I9 are arranged to accommodate vertical movement of the slidable wall and gun assembly herein by their flexibility and depending loop arrangement. A similar arrangement may be provided to feed cleaning fluid, as water, to the washdown sprayer 25. Suitable valve actuating means (not shown) arranged to be under control of the operator on the platform 26 (hereinafter described) are provided for lines I4 and I9, and for other lines for which this arrangement may be desirable. 1

Experience has shown that with normal sized large castings, best results are attained by providing for vertical movement ofthe gun I2 a considerable distance, exceeding eight feet in most instances, thus enabling it to assume positions in which the alternate guns of prior rooms were fixed, as well as other intermediate and in The prior alternative gun arrangements, as above mentioned, not only lacked flexibility; they also required stairwaysand duplicate pipe connections, controls, etc., at the respective operators stations because of their wide vertical separation. These necessities of the prior art are eliminated by the present invention by providing, on the exterior of the verticallyslidable wall section I I, an operators platform 26 properly located with re- 'spect to window 23 and control rod 2I, and movable therewith on movement of the wall section, and by providing in a convenient location relative to the operators platform, as in the position 27 on the sliding wall I I adjacent the control rod 2|, a push button or like control for effecting raising or lowering of the entire wall-gun-platform assembly,

Preferably also, the operator's station is provided with controls, exemplified in Figs. 2 and 3 by foot-controlled switches 28 and 28a and remoteacting motor controller 29, for controlling any desired accessories of the blasting room. Switch 28, for example, may control through suitable circuits the movement of the turntable, work conveyor, or other support on which the castings are mounted for blasting. Switch 28a, for example, may control the supply of sand, through the sand-hose I4, independently of the supply of water through the water-hose I9, so that the sand supply may be cut off when it is desired to wash'the castings with a water-jet after completion .of the knockout operation. Controller 29, for example, may control the pressure of the water supplied through pipe I9, as by controlling the speed of the motor driven water pump, to vary the pressure between the wide limits, say 600 to 1200 pounds per square inch, if desired. The details of such switches and remote control devices, and various modes for relating such ambulant controls to otherwise located apparatus,

are well known, and thus require no further illustration here. Y i

To obtain maximum vertical traverse of the wall-gun-platform assembly without undue extensionof the height of the adjacent room walls, an especially advantageous form of movablewall section'is employed in the preferred embodiment. This'form enables the maintenance of a tight closure of the blast-room at all times, and requires no casing extensions, or clear space maintenance, either above or below the normal boundaries of the blast-room. In this preferred form the sliding wall II is a rigidified section in the run of a flexible band 30, which may be amultiply rubber belt or'curtain. This band 30 is entrained over guiderolls 3I and 32 adjacent the top I3a of the vestibule II-I3, and adjacent the bottom of the pit Illb respectively, and its ends are connected to reel-rolls 33 and 34 similarly located and outwardly spaced with reference to the blast-room from the guide rolls 3I and 32.

As will be appreciated from Figs. 1 and2, the rolls 3i and 33 are preferably located to position the upper run of the belt 30 closely adjacent to the vestibule roof I3a. As shown'in the same figures, lower rolls 32 and 34 arepreferably located in the room pit, sothat gun I2 may be moved .to a lowermost position closely adjacent the floor level, at which position oper-ators platform 26 is preferably aligned with floor I00 (see Fi 2). 1

The wall forming section II of belt 30, in the form shown, runs at its edgesin guidewaysprovided between angle-irons 35 carried'by vestibule walls I3 (see Fig. 4). These angleeirons, as shown, extend fromnear the top of the vertical run of belt 30 to near the bottom thereof, and are spacedjust sufiiciently to receive the vertically movableparts of the assembly II30 with an easyrunning fit. The station-section of this assembly, .as above noted, is a-vertically movable plate-like section II for mounting the operator's platform, the blastgun, and such other parts as are desired, to travel with the station. The section Il may take, any desired form and may be a metallic platesecured to, or in the run of, the belt, and extending into or terminating just short of the guideways 35. In the simple and preferred arrangement shown in the drawings, forlightmess, the section II is rigidified by angle-iron frame 40 suitably secured to the belt in surroundil'lg relation to the station-section, thereby emg" racingt the windows 2,3, b

zzl bracketz 18,, etc. This: flame-4.0, m ybe Se dn 915M265 any? des red? ma ne i, bein rivettedgtobel-t in; the illustrativo embodiment;

Operator's platform 26 is also secured to the slide ing;. wal1-;s e ction. I la, preferably-by; attaching the same to framet-mem-bersno, as shown, Frame mestazl or other'sui-table materials maybe secured o. or: be employed inlieu of such framed section, andbeseouredato or the l v ti alun; o elt fl t-in any le dm nnen Driving; ofreels- 33 andfim nd r;control; oi push bnttcfl-ZL-is eifectedin the formsshowr by; gearmQ Drv l s s, ab y supb di; an n e f 42:. c r.- iea n a l: ad ac n the end; of a driven roll, herein roll 33. As shown in Figs. 1 and; 3; the ausmbutton ont olpmay compris o but ons with; or er e e: r lays pe tiv ly ne iz n m ton 4- for; forward: reverse motion, so a thelo a-tor atwilbmaycause gun [2 and its as soc-iated; stationv to .move to. any desired location ne tst ticaltra svers Limi switche hi are-well; known; perse,,may; also be provided to prevent; over-travel of; belt: 31], and prevent damage: of; any; parts, associated: therewith, These mayrbe arranged in. any ired m nner. Simnln nwan f examples su h swit hes re diagrammatic lly/ hown; at 30c. and-30b, as wanted; to; be; moved;- to, motor stoppingposition by a part moving with the curtain as, herein the latfo m; atthe extre e limits orthe d sire travol thereof.

In thaform, sho n; assum n the use o e inchirolls-forre lse? methane a. cal tra erse-ot about, ei ht feet for the gun- I s traverse, would represent the transfenofabout threetumsoi belt30tfr0mreel33 vtoreel 34, or vice versa. Since; transfer; of even these few, th us er-heavy mult rp y belting ha es the effective reeling-diameter Ofirolls; 33mm 314, suitable-:rneansis provided-in the driving gear for these rolls o pensateIorh s ac r, and o simultaneously maintain {the curtain wall I I, 39; taut at: all: times, This meansin its; preferred form consists; of; astension, chain 45.-.-46. interlinking driving sprockets 41 and 48 associated res spec-tiyelyg withl themeelroll-s: 3,3 and-34*. Leg of, chain 1 45.,4l6t bulls from; the respective snrockets; durin he: r cline p rat of each hasin-itsrunningpartiaheavy tension spring 49 sozlflcated that itstraversa does not extend toeither sprocket:in'the -fullrun ofrbeltill. As'will be apparentsfrom li igg. 2-,v spring -49i-acts to remove all; slaoleifromwtheensionssi 4 f: chain 5- 6, and henceto remove-all slack from belt 30'irrespec ,veof, any slaekness; developed in'chain leg 4.5.. thereels 33*3.i&. ,So longas leg '45 is not too tight whe -r,ee1sv 3,4;each containthe-same amount oil-belt; this simple: arrangement will operate to satisfaction, as slackness will develop in leg 45,0n movement ofbelt; 3fl-itowards either-reel from this centralq position. In; installations where excessivesslaekmayzdevelop inleg 45, a swinging idler (not shown) maxi-be positioned to, press leg- 45' out ot verticalto thus provide a yieldable takep; thertensiomproduced by such idler, ofcourse, b i-nasmuoh less. thanrthat, produced: byspring 49.-

With-thapresentgarrangement; the reaction of ther-h hspressure propellant against the nozzle of: gnn; 152' isresisted; by the turret-mountin 152- 8.; .anditran ferrecl': by 'it torthe movable wel no contr s it and;

the chan e.- inefiective; reelin diameters of 36 and vestibule walls [3, and the operator, car-.

ried -bm the, platform-2B, is; outsidethe blasting wall section, blast-gun,and platform as a unit.

room'an equires; no protective othi Eurth the fo sh t 'we t or the turretemo ting, [5 -19 and jetgun I2, l4, car-v sideofthe wall ll, counterbalances v ried-ont e. moreor; es the weight of the platform 26 and perator. ed, on th ut ofthe a us mahing fo; ase Qt -vertical movement of the wall. Here also, thevestibule walls l3 themselves brace the structure against; the reactionof the jet-gun,

enablihglighter-frarning of; the structure, If desiredixhnwever, the-vestibule or pulpit may have open;;sides iandra clo ed rear wall, when the protection of; the operator from materials being moved: by, travellin cranes or the like dictates suchtfii f-lian fim,11t, and:in such case the framing is. desi ned acc rdi ly- Since thebreferredpembodiment of this invention;,ena;bles-the operator; to adjust the position of therblast-gun and work, the character ofjet employeiflnd, the angularity ofattack on the work, at will, and without movingyfrom his seated or standing position on the platform- 26, it is apparent-thathe may: obtain with this embodiment direct; or oblique blasting of the most difiicult shapes, of worle with great ease and flexibility. However; therpreferredembodiment shown and described is but illustrative and notrestrictive of theinvention herein, disclosed and claimed, and

inventivev features and combinations, oflthis die-1 closur may be. embodiedin other specific forms.

w aim;.:

a 13., Ina blast;-room; an enclosure, said enclosure navinga; Vertically slidable wall, a blast-gun project-lngz: inwardly l of and carried by said slidable wall, an operatorsplatformprojecting exteriorly of: and; carried by. said slidablewall, and means controllable. by an. one-ratoron, said platform for raising and loweringsaidgun, platform, and wall assembly, and for controlling the, discharge ofsaid gun;

2. Ina blast-room, an enclosure, said enclosure having a: vertically slidable wall, a bracketon the room sideof said slidable wall and vertically movable thellelllith, ablast-gun carried by said bracket andmounted: for at least ;limited universal movement relative thereto, an operators platform .on the exterior of said slidable wall and movable therewith, a window in, said slidable wall located to, enable; an operator on said platform to view the operation of'said blast-gun, and means controllable by an operator on said platform for raising-and lowering said slidable wall, bracket, and platform, and for-controlling the discharge of said gun.

3. In a'blast-room, an enclosure, said enclosure having a vertically slidable wall section, a bracket secured'to the room side of said wall section, an

operatorsplatiorm secured to the outer side of said wall section, a blast-gun carried by said bracket, and, means controllable by an operator on said platform for raising and lowerin said trollable-by anoperatoron said platform for rais-u ing and lowering said curtain, nozzle, and platform assembly.

5. In a blast-room, an enclosure, said enclosure having a vertically extending opening and vertical guide-ways adjacent the lateral sides of said opening, a flexible curtain movable vertically in said guide-ways and extending across said opening, a blast-gun carried by said curtain and discharging at the room side thereof, an operators platform carried by said curtain exteriorly thereof, and means for raising and lowering said curtain, gun, and platform assembly.

6. In a blast-room, an enclosure, a part of the Wall of said enclosure comprising a set of vertical guide-ways and a flexible curtain section movable in said guide-ways, a jet gun carried by said curtain section and discharging inwardly of said enclosure, an operators platform carried by said curtain section exteriorly of said enclosure, means for raising and lowering said curtain-gunplatform assembly in said guide-ways, and means operable by an operator on said platform to control said raising and lowering means and the operation of said jet gun.

'7. In a blast-room, an enclosure, a part of the wall of said enclosure comprising a set of vertical guide-ways and a flexible curtain section movable in said guide-ways, a jet gun carried by said ourtain and discharging inwardly of said enclosure, an operators platform carried by said curtain exteriorly of said enclosure, means for raising and lowering said curtain-gun-platform assembly in said guide-ways, means under control of an operator on said platform to control said raising and lowering means, limit means to prevent overtravel of said assembly in either direction, and means operable by an operator on said platform to control the operation of said jet gun.

8. A blast-room comprising a floor, said floor having a pit, a vestibule overlying a part of said pit, said vestibule comprising side walls and a top wall, a vertically movable wall closing the room side of said vestibule, an operators platform carried by said movable wall within said vestibule, a blast-gun adjacent said platform and discharging into said blast-room, and means controllable by an operator on said platform for raising and lowering said platform, wall, and blastgun and for controlling the discharge of said blast-gun.

9. A blast-room comprising a floor, said floor having a pit, a vestibule overlying a part of said pit, said vestibule comprising the pit bottom and side walls and a top wall, guide-rolls extending across said vestibule at the room side thereof adjacent the top wall and adjacent the pit bottom respectively, vertical guide-ways extending between said guide-rolls adjacent the room side of said vestibule, reel-rolls extending across said vestibule at the outer side thereof adjacent the top wall and adjacent the pit bottom and in substantially spaced relation to said guide-rolls, a flexible curtain extending through said guideways and trained over said guide-rolls, and having its ends reeled upon and secured to said reelrolls, a least one of the portions of said curtain extending from said guide-rolls to said reel-rolls lying in close juxtaposition to the adjacent one of the top and bottom walls of the vestibule, an operators platform within said vestibule and secured to said curtain to be raised and lowered as said curtain is reeled in one or the other direction, a blast gun movable with said platform and discharging into said blast-room, means for driving said reel-rolls and for maintaining said ourtain taut between them, and means carried by said curtain controllable by an operator on said platform for controlling the operation of said reel driving means and the operation of said blastgun.

10. In a blasting room curtain assembly, a pair of reel rolls, a curtain reelable from one of said rolls to the other, a sprocket turning With each of said rolls, a chain connecting said sprockets to control the mutual operation of said rolls, said chain having a curtain tensioning leg pulling upon each sprocket in a direction to effect reeling of the curtain on its associated roll and a returnleg extending between the other sides of said sprockets, said chain having a tension spring in its curtain tensioning leg and having its returnleg relatively taut when in the position at which equal amounts of said curtain are reeled on each of said rolls.

'11. In a blast-room, a vestibule comprising parallel, bracingly positioned, side walls presenting vertical guide-ways, a curtain wall slidable in said guide-ways, a universal nozzle mounting carried by said curtain, means for feeding water at high pressure through said mounting, a hydraulic sandblast gun mounted on said universal mounting and supplied with water therefrom,

means for supplying abradant to said gun, the reaction of said high pressure blast being transferred through said universal mounting to said curtain, and transferred therefrom through said guide-ways to said parallel, bracingly positioned, side walls.

12. A blasting room comprising a vertically movable blast-gun inside the room and a vertically movable operators platform outside the room, a window in the room wall separating said gun and platform positioned to enable an operator on said platform to observe the operation of said blast-gun, means for simultaneously raising and lowering said gun and platform, and means under control of the operator on said platform for controllin said last named means.

13. A blasting room according to claim 12, said room wall comprising a flexible reel-carried curtain in turn carrying said gun, platform, and window; and said gun, platform, and window being movable vertically by reeling of said curtain on its reels.

14. A blast-room Vestibule'and operators station comprising guiding and reeling rolls adjacent the inner and outer top and bottom portions of the vestibule, a flexible curtain carried by said guiding and reeling rolls, and closing the blastroom face of said vestibule, an operators platform connected to and vertically movable with said curtain, the guiding and reeling rolls at the top of said vestibule being spaced from one another by substantially the depth of said operators platform whereby an operator on the platform is provided with head room within the yestibule, and inwardly of said upper reeling roll.

15. A blast-room vestibule and operators stati-on according to claim 14, in which the lower guiding and reeling rolls are located in a pit below the normal floor level, and in which said operators platform is aligned with said normal floor level at one position in its traverse.

16. A blast-room vestibule and operators station according to claim 14, further comprising means carried by said curtain adjacent said operators platform and under control of an operator thereon for controlling operation of said reelrolls to raise and lower said operator and platform, and limit means associated with said last- 9 named means to stop elevation of said platform at the point at which the operators head is housed behind said upper reel-roll, but out of contact with the run of said curtain extending from said upper reel-r011 to said upper guideroll.

17. A blasting room comprising a vertically movable wall section, a bracket secured to the room-side of said wall section and vertically movable therewith, a blast-gun carried by said bracket and mounted for at least limited universal movement relative thereto, flexible conduits at the room side of said Wall section and connected to said blast gun for conducting blasting particles and high pressure fluid thereto, said bracket transferring the reaction of the high pressure blast to said movable wall section, and means for controlling the discharge of said blast gun from outside said movable Wall.

18. A blasting room comprising a vertically movable wall section, a gun mount projecting from the room side of said Wall section, carried by said Wall section, and vertically movable therewith, a blast gun carried by said mount on the room side of said Wall section and having at least limited universal movement relative thereto, flexible conduit means at the room side of said wall section and connected to said blast gun for conducting blasting particles and high pressure fluid thereto, said mount transferring the reaction of the high pressure blast to said movable wall section, and means for controlling the discharge of said gun from outside the movable wall.

19. A blasting room comprising a vertically movable Wall section, a blast gun on the room side of said wall section and mounted thereon for at least limited universal movement relative thereto and vertical movement therewith, flexible conduit means at the room side of said wall section and connected to said blast gun for conducting blasting particles and high pressure fluid thereto, the

mounting of the blast gun on said movable wall section transferring the reaction of the high pressure blast to said movable wall section, and means for controlling the discharge of said blast gun from outside said movable wall.

WALTER L.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

